


Wayward Orphans

by shepards_depression



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Angels, Angst, Blood and Gore, Childhood Trauma, Death, Demons, Heaven & Hell, Occasional fluff, ep. 15x20 never happened, minor PTSD
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-30
Updated: 2021-01-31
Packaged: 2021-03-17 03:20:53
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 8,519
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29093385
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shepards_depression/pseuds/shepards_depression
Summary: (That god-awful finale never happened. Jack refused his position as God, but he rescued Cass from super turbo mega hell first. Dean never died, and Sam never had that Party City wig and that beautiful Blurry Wife.)Sam and Dean needed a case. Now. They stumbled upon Winterset, Iowa. Two young hunters are taken in by The Winchesters after losing it all. Their mother. Their father. Their brother. Everything. What could go wrong when the Winchesters take in another Wayward Orphan?
Relationships: Castiel/Dean Winchester, Original Character/Original Character





	1. Fosters Home

The subtle tone of the alarm clock flooded Sam’s ears. He rolled over, picking up the clock and checking the time. It was about 9:00. The youngest brother groaned and threw off the blankets. Sam pulled on a pair of jeans, a black shirt, and a blue flannel. Walking down the hall of the bunker, he pulled out his phone and shuffled through the multiple notifications of possible cases.  
Male disappearances? The local law enforcement caught the culprit. Grave robberies? Turned out to be a couple of teenagers in a prank war. Sam walked through the doorway into the kitchen. “Mornin’ sunshine,” Dean sat at the table, a mug of black coffee in hand. He had gotten up at around eight that morning.

He was itching for a new case. Anything to get his mind off of what happened in Delaware. Sam, Dean, Cas, and Jack had all teamed up for a particularly large nest of vamps. The four of them had a simple plan. Kill the two out front and once they get inside, Sam and Jack go left, Dean and Cas go right. Sam and Jack crept around the corner. Jack spotted two females in the corner, IVs running from their wrists. The Nephilim signaled to Sam as he ran to help. Jack woke up one of them, a blonde-haired woman with deep brown eyes. She looked at Jack groggily and whispered, “Wh-What are those things?” Jack began to take out the IV carefully so he didn’t hurt her. “They’re vampires.” The woman’s eyes grew as she pulled her back up quickly against the wall. 

“Vampires? They- They aren’t real...they can’t be real…” Jack sighed and looked up at her. He always felt bad when people had to know the truth. To him, it seemed like when they were told about what’s really out there, their whole world falls to pieces. Their faces fall and they stutter through questions like they need to know everything they can about monsters and what goes bump in the night. “We’re gonna get you both out of here, okay?” The woman kept her shocked expression as she nodded slightly. Jack continued to check her for any other wounds. “Can you tell me your name?” He asked in a soft tone. “Wendy. M-My name’s Wendy. That’s Veronica. We were just walking home from a debate team meeting. Then those guys...they took us and the next thing I know, we’re here.” Wendy’s eyes filled with tears as she recalled the incident. The young girl stared at her hands, a few tears slipping. Jack put his hands on hers, staring into her eyes. “My friend and I, we’re gonna make sure you and Veronica are safe. Promise.” Sam patted Jack’s shoulder, signaling that it was time to get the two girls out and to the Impala. 

Meanwhile, Dean and Castiel had run into three vamps, fighting them off as best they could. One of them turned and ran down the hall, catching Castiel’s attention. “Dean!”, he shouted. Dean decapitated the monster in front of him and sprinted down the hallway after the other. He saw Sam and Jack, running swiftly through the corridor with two girls, the vampire tailing them closely. “Sam!”, Dean yelled. Sam turned just in time to block the vampire’s swing, shoving its back into the tiled wall. “Jack, get them out of here!”, Sam choked out, the monster’s hand on his throat. Dean came from behind and ripped the thing away from his brother. Jack turned to Wendy and Veronica and ushered them to the exit. They burst through the door, slowing their pace slightly.

Jack let a slight sigh of relief slip through his lips when he spotted the familiar black Impala. “There,” Jack pointed to Baby. The two girls jogged to the car. Jack turned, putting his focus on the building that his family was in. He saw Dean, Sam, and Cas jogging through the doorway. Jack smiled at the sight of them, Dean giving a reassuring fist pump to the air. Their smiles turned to sudden looks of alarm as a scream filled the air. Whipping around to see four vamps, two of them holding Wendy and Veronica, smiling darkly, Jack’s demeanor shifted to match the rest of the team. Sparing you the details, Wendy and Veronica died. Bloody. Jack killed the two vampires that took their lives in a fit of pure sorrow and anger. Sam and Castiel beheaded the other two. That ride home was long and silent.

Dean blinked slowly, dismissing the memory. He pushed the tablet across the aluminum table as Sam took a seat. “What’d you find?”, Sam questioned, hoping his brother had found a case. Dean set down his mug, leaning closer across the table. “A little town in Iowa starts seeing people go missing, right? Then they start turning up dead, calling it animal attacks.” Sam Looks at Dean then down at the table. “Let me guess, no heart?” He sighed. Dean sat back in his chair excitedly, a huge smile on his face. “No heart! Boom!” Sam let out a small laugh at his brother’s excitement. Dean needed this, Sam knew he did. Sam looked up to see Dean waiting for an answer. “Might as well check it out…” Dean sat back up again. “Really?” Sam chuckled and folded his arms. “Looks like we’re going to Iowa.” Dean hopped up and practically skipped through the door. “We’re going to Iowa!” He yelled happily. Dean gathered his things and double-checked the bag full of weapons they might need. Soon, the Winchester Brothers were driving down the empty highway to Winterset, Iowa.

* * *

A teal-haired young woman sat in a dimly lit motel room. The older of two siblings sat up, snatching a small steel blade from the side-table and twirling it between her fingers. The lock on the door rattled as the handle turned. A young male, soft brown eyes and loosely curly, short, dark blonde hair that slightly fell in his face, walked through the door with grocery bags in his hands. “I got you the orange soda you wanted. I also picked up some allergy medicine, you ran out the other day.” He walked past his sister, setting down the bags on the table and unpacking them. “I don’t need allergy medicine, Benji.” She said in an irritated tone. Benjiman pulled a case of sodas from the bag and set it in the small fridge. “Yeah you do, Alice.” 

Alice huffed, standing and walking to the kitchen. She rustled through the bags, fishing out a pack of gummy worms. She tore into them and stuffed a handful in her mouth. Alice looked up from the bag to find her younger brother staring at her, shaking his head and continuing to put away the few groceries that were bought. “So, we’re looking into the animal attacks, right?” Alice walked back into the main room. She sighed. “Someone else will take care of it. I think we should put this stuff in the cooler and head out.” Benji had been eager to take on cases for a few months. 

Eli, the oldest of the Fosters, had kept them together after the passing of their parents. First, it was their mother. Sarah Foster was killed by a nest of vampires when Benji was just two months old. Alice was five and Eli was eight. They were rushed out of the house by their father, he was yelling at them, barking directions. Eli ran through the door with his brother in his arms and Alice trailing close behind. They were hunters ever since. Then, the same vamp came back for their dad. All Benji could remember was wandering aimlessly, looking for him. He had walked up and down so many streets he had lost count. When he finally saw his father, on his knees in the middle of the street, he jogged to him until he got about halfway to him when Benji stopped. “Benjiman, go!” His Dad screamed at him as a vampire who had been waiting for him jumped from the corner. Benji ran as fast as his legs would take him. He was already sobbing when he got to his Dad. After that, Alice wanted to jump headfirst into hunting, blinded by reckless rage and revenge.

At the time, Eli was 20, Alice was 17, and Benjiman was 12. Eli held his sister back from going in, guns-a-blazing, and instead told her to learn the basics of hunting. He comforted Benji while he was grieving heavily. Now, Alice was 21 and her brother was 16. Eight months before his fourteenth birthday, Benji had wanted to go along with his brother and sister to kill a ghoul, but Eli had told him to stay behind. Benji could handle himself. Or at least that’s what Benji thought. He left in the middle of the night, sneaking out to take care of the ghoul on his own. 

One ghoul had him pinned against a wall, rendering him defenseless. Next thing he knew, Benji was being cradled in Eli’s hardened arms as he slipped away into nothingness. Not knowing what to do next, the remaining Foster children sat through hours of thick silence. Neither of them said much to each other, and certainly not about what had happened to their brother. Alice threw a book bag over her shoulder and slipped through the door. Alice had come and gone, leaving as she pleased over the two days after her brother’s death. Eli had learned not to question his sister when she left. Alice walked to a gravel crossroads, burying a metal box and waiting for the demon to show itself. Eli had followed her this time, trailing behind slightly. He watched as his sister sealed a deal with a kiss as he jumped from his car and ran to the middle of the crossroads. “Alice, no!”, he yelled. The younger of the two whipped around, to meet his brother’s eyes. “What did you do?” Eli asked frantically. “We can’t lose Benji. We just can’t, Eli...so I-I made a deal.” Alice explained.

Eli threw his hands up and shouted, “You made a deal?” He stepped closer, leaving only inches between their noses. “Yes, Eli, I made a deal! I’m doing whatever it takes to get our brother back!” Alice took a shaky step back, letting the sorrow and fear slip into her voice. “Benjiman’s coming back, then we’ll be together again.” Eli stared at his feet, tears blurring his vision. “How long? How long do you have?” Alice stayed silent, not wanting to tell her brother. “How long, Alice?!” Eli said louder, his voice cracking. “Two years…” Silence. Deafening silence. “No.” 

Alice shot a look of confusion at her brother. Eli turned to the crossroads demon, who had seen the whole ordeal, and walked towards him. “Let me take her place. My soul for hers.” Alice stepped forward. “Eli, no.” Eli stuck his hand behind him, signaling for his sister to stay back. “Oh?” The demon raised his brow, pushing off the pole he was leaning on. A smirk danced on his lips. “You bring my brother back, and when the two years are up, you take me.” Eli was cold, serious, and stern. The demon chuckled. Alice stepped forward. “What?”, he asked, wondering what was so amusing about the situation. “Oh, honey. I’m all for taking her place, a soul for a soul, but it looks to me you’re desperate. You’ll do anything to keep your little runts safe. You don’t get two years, no no no, you get two months.” Alice gasped softly, fear coursed through her body. “That’s not fair!” She pleaded. The demon cast a playful glare at the young girl. “Sweetheart, life’s not fair.” Turning his attention to Eli, he said, “So, what’ll it be, short stuff?” Alice came up beside her brother, grabbing his arm and pleading for him to decline. Eli let a tear slip down his cheek. He glared at the demon, whispering, “Fine.” The demon cupped a hand up to his ear. “What was that?” Eli walked up to him, standing toe to toe, and holding the demon an inch off the ground by his black worn shirt. “Deal.” 

Here they were, about two years later, in this small motel room. The last two Fosters left. Benjiman snapped his head up. “No!” He yelled. “You promised me, Alice!” Alice sighed putting away her knife. “Benji…” The brother walked to meet his sister, glaring at her, he said in a stern voice, “You can go, but I’m staying. I’m working this case with or without you.”

Dean and Sam had settled into their room, and were on their way to the local sheriff’s department to filter through some “routine” questions. Turning off the ignition, Dean fished his fake badge out of his pocket and checked the name on it. After Sam had done the same, the boys got out of the car and started walking to the station. Dean was watching his feet as he walked, when Sam’s arm was flung across his chest. “What the heck?” Dean asked in an irritated tone, glaring at his brother. “Look,” Sam said as he pointed inside. Dean spotted two young-looking people. It seemed to be a brother and sister, both in suit-like attire. Sam and his brother exchanged glances, then walked swiftly inside. They crept around the corner, lurking just close enough to hear what the three were talking about.

“You two look a little young to be feds.” The sheriff said in a suspecting tone. The shorter one stammered over his words for a second before the other butted in, “Trainee. String-bean here is my new trainee. New policy, pairing young ones with newcomers.” The brothers shifted their hideout spot to get a better view. They watched as the young man shot a quick glare of annoyance at the other. He cleared his throat, and turned his attention to the sheriff. “Call us if you notice any change. Anything.” He said, handing her a card. “No problem,” The sheriff gave a nod as the pair walked off. Sam and Dean caught a small second of the “federal trainee” and his babysitter’s conversation on their way out. “String-bean? Really?” The male said agitatedly. The other turned her head to him, looked him up and down, then said, “She believed it though, didn’t she?” The door shut behind them, as the brothers walked up to the sheriff. 

“What can I do for you, gentlemen?”, she asked with her hands on her hips. “Those two agents, we’re tailing behind them, making sure everything goes smoothly. Agents Jagger and Murry. Could you give us the card the agent handed to you?” After a flash of a badge, the sheriff handed the card over to Dean. “You don’t have to worry about much, Agent. Real nice young man. Don’t know how I feel about that girl though...” Sam smiled awkwardly. “Yeah, solid recruits this year.” Once through the door, Dean scoffed. “They looked twelve. Come on, Sam, they can’t be hunters.” Sam raised a brow, studying the card. “I dunno, Dean. I mean that was some pretty swift thinking. And you heard what Agent-” Sam paused and read the name on the business card. “Cobalt said to his partner when they were leaving.” Dean sighed as he opened the car door. “Well, let’s give ‘Agent Cobalt’ a ring. See if he’s the real deal.” 

Benji laid, face down, on his bed. Both of them were tired and slightly discouraged after dead ends, false leads, and books on books of extra lore. Alice sat in the kitchen, eating cheez-its and drinking her third can of orange soda. Benji’s phone buzzed on the table as he threw his arm around, and finally grabbing it. “Hello?” Benjiman said groggily. Dean made eye contact with Sam. “Yeah hi, is this Agent Cobalt?” Benji shot up in his bed, straightening his stature and clearing his throat. “Y-yes! Uh- Yes this is Agent Cobalt.” Dean stifled a laugh as Sam took the phone. “This is Agents Jagger and Murry. We're calling to see which home office sent you out.” The color drained from the young man's face as he scrambled to his sister. Shoving the phone in his shoulder, he harshly whispered, “Alice!” Alice looked up from a book. “FBI” Benji hissed. 

“Crap!” Alice huffed. Dean leaned to the phone, hearing every whisper and smiling at the panic of the young hunters. “Listen kid, we know you're not FBI.”, Dean said in a lighter tone. Benji turned to Alice, who just shrugged her shoulders and said quietly, “They’ve gotta be hunters too right?” Sam exchanged a look of slight confusion mixed with amusement with his brother as Dean asked, “What motel are you staying in?” Benji pondered whether or not to tell this strange guy that had somehow gotten their number, and somehow knew they were hunters, their location. Then, the memory of the last time he had denied someone’s help and went on his own hit him like a train. The image of his oldest sibling flashed in his mind. He couldn’t make that mistake again. “Fire-Engine-Red, down I-90, room 307.” Alice sat up, the choice her brother had made grabbing her attention. The Winchester brothers nodded to each other. “We’ll be there in ten minutes.” The call ended, cut off on the other line. 

Sam sighed. “What?”, the oldest questioned, noticing his brother’s new troubled demeanor. Shifting in his seat, Sam stammered a bit, trying to find the right words to say. “They’re- They’re just so young Dean,” Dean straightened up, sighing as he did so. “I mean, that kid we just spoke to couldn’t have been older than 18...what’re they doing hunting?” The two rode in silence for a few yards, then Dean said gruffly, “It doesn’t matter, alright? Nobody chooses this, Sam.” Sam began to protest, when Dean cut him off. “It doesn’t matter what family they have, or how old they are, or why they’re freakin’ hunting in the first place! But, we’re gonna make sure nothing happens to those kids... We could have them check in with us, or heck, let em live in the bunker, we sure have the rooms, but nothing’s gonna happen to those kids.” Sam leaned back in his seat, the purr of the engine being the only thing cutting the silence. The quiet agreement from Sam and the determination radiating off of Dean assured the seriousness of the oldest brother’s last statement. 

Both Fosters sat anxiously in the small room. The roar of the Impala sounded through the runned down space, signaling that someone had arrived. Shivers went down Benji’s spine, Alice’s nerves showing slightly as her leg began to bounce in place. A knock at the door grabbed the attention of both young adults. Alice made eye contact with her brother, took a deep breath, and went to open the door. Sam held his head down and Dean seemed to do the same. They too were slightly nervous to meet the other people that sat in the room. When the door opened, Sam and Dean shot their heads up in the direction of the person responsible for the door’s opening. They were slightly surprised to find a young woman standing in the doorway. Alice straightened her back and said in the calmest tone she could muster, “Come on in.” After the brothers had stepped through the door, they spotted Benji, who stood up swiftly at the sight of the other hunters. 

“I’m Alice, this is my baby brother Benji.” Alice gestured to Benji, a small smirk displayed on her lips. Benjiman shot her a look of annoyance and embarrassment. “Five years, Alice, you don’t have to keep calling me your ‘baby’ brother.” Benji said through gritted teeth, holding a straight face as Dean chuckled. “Sit down.” He said, both Foster siblings and Sam taking a seat. Sam and Benji on one bed, Alice taking a seat beside Dean. “I don’t know you, you don’t know me, but I’m Dean and this is my brother Sam. We’re gonna help you out.” Alice stared at her hands, looking up as Dean made his last statement. “Thanks, but we’re fine on our own.” Sam hesitated then said, “Listen we know you’ve probably been on your own for a while but we just want to make sure nothing happens to yo-” Alice cut him off, growing more frustrated.  
"We don’t need your help!” She yelled. Sam turned his face to the floor, the awkward silence filling the room. Alice looked up at her brother, who was also not enjoying the tension in the room. “Benji, tell them.” Benji glanced at Alice’s fuming stature, then back at his hands. “I-...I think we should go with them.” Alice stood, radiating with a new found anger. Her brother was supposed to side with her, not two strangers that he had just met. “What?”, she said harshly. Benji scooted to the edge of the bed. “We’ve been struggling lately, Alice.” Alice stepped forward, getting closer to her brother. “Ok, sure, we stay in crap motels and live off of orange soda and take-out, but we are not a charity case.” Benji stood up, his sister about 5 inches from him, turning to the side to look at the Winchesters. “Alice, please.” He said almost pleadingly. He needed her to get on board. Just this once, he needed her to follow his lead, to let him make the right choice. Sam and Dean sat, watching the two and feeling sudden empathy for them. “No, Benji!” Alice’s rage filling her, blinding her, stopping her from thinking her words through and causing her to let the wrong ones slip.

Alice was a quick fuse, a hothead. Nobody touched the ones she loved, nobody touched her brother. She was independent and stubborn, standing firm in her belief until someone had the guts to prove her wrong. She didn’t need anyone’s help. She was strong. She could take care of her brother all on her own. 

Benjiman, on the other hand, was quiet and patient. He rarely got angry, unless it was for good reason. He was rational and smart. He listened to others and helped anyone that he could. He was soft and fragile, but push the wrong buttons and you’re in for a show. He often blamed himself for many things and he didn’t let go of unnecessary guilt. The weight on his shoulders would catch up to him, crush and destroy him. Those days when everything came crashing down, he would buy a separate room, lock himself in it, and spend the night reliving horrible memories. He would sob and cry, wishing things could just go back to the way they were. Alice grabbed her brothers shoulder, shouting in his face. 

“You didn’t want help then, why the hell would you want it now?!” 

Dean and Sam sat, though both of them didn’t know the story, they knew whatever was just said was a sore subject. Alice let go of Benji’s shoulder, immediately regretting what she had done. She gasped softly. “Benji, I’m sorry. I-I didn’t mean that. Really, I-” She stuttered in soft tone, one she didn’t use often. Benjiman turned so that he was toe-to-toe with Alice, their noses almost touching. “Let me make the right choice. Eli’s dead, because-- because of me. I couldn’t make the right choice.” Benji half-whispered, his voice breaking and his eyes glossing over. He turned on his heel sharply and started to walk to the door. Alice grabbed his wrist. “Benje…” She said softly. Without turning to look at her, Benjiman said through gritted teeth. “Let. Go.” Ripping his hand from Alice’s grip, and storming out of the small motel room, he let tears fall. 

He couldn’t tell if they were from anger or fear or sadness, or guilt. That seemed to happen a lot recently. Alice was left standing in silence. After looks of confusion from the Winchesters, Alice explained what had happened to her sister. The two brothers sat and listened, feeling pain and empathy for the two remaining siblings. After finishing up, they stood in thick silence. Alice inhaled deeply. “I-I shouldn’t’ve said that… why did I say that?”, she stammered. It happened so often that Alice said something without care, causing Benji to feel pain or hurt, then Alice trying effortlessly to apologize. But in the end, they were all they had left. They always pulled through, no matter what. Dean sighed. He knew what it felt like to want to be totally independent. He had tried to keep him and Sam safe for so long. He figured it was his job to protect his brother, so accepting help was failing. 

Dean stood and walked over to Alice, putting a hand on her shoulder, and said, “You were angry. When people get angry they say crap they don’t mean.” Dean stared into Alice’s crystal blue eyes, until she nodded and gave a small ‘you’re right’. Sam walked to the door, silently letting Dean know he’d be back. Sam stepped into the outdoor hallway, his head moving left to right in search for the other Foster. He heard sniffling coming from down the stairs. 

He found Benji crouched in the stairwell with his knees to his chest. Sam sighed, deciding to tell Benji some information he would probably like to hear. “So, uhh, your sister agreed to stay with us for a bit.” Benji took a deep breath, pulling himself up to stand in front of the younger of the two Winchesters. After a quick agreement that both Fosters would go to the bunker, both Sam and Benji traveled back to the motel room. Benji and Alice packed their things and stuffed both of their duffle bags in the back of the Impala. Shutting the trunk, Dean grinned at Sam. Benji opened the back door, sliding inside. Alice joined him behind Sam’s seat. She looked at her brother, long and sincere, and quietly said, “Benje, I’m sorry…” She turned her attention to the floor when Benji punched her lightly in the arm, causing her to stare at him in surprise. “It’s fine, Alice. You always were the bonehead.” Benji chuckled lightly at the end of his sentence, smiling happily at his sister. 

Dean and Sam shared a glance at each other, happy the two of them were alright, and seeing so much of themselves in the two siblings seated in the back of the black muscle car. After just over 5 hours of driving through the night, Dean glanced at the back seat. He saw Benji leaned against the door fast asleep and Alice sitting with earbuds in, looking out the window and nodding her head along to the music. They arrived at the bunker, the engine shutting off and the brothers rising out of the car. Alice shook Benji’s shoulder lightly. He lifted his head and let out a small whimper-like noise and Alice smiled at him. 

Benji still looked 4 years old in the back of the Impala, the same dreamy look and the same soft noise he would make. And just like she always would do, Alice squeezed his shoulder softly and said, “Come on, Benje. Let’s go bud.” He nodded, stepping out of the car and following the Winchesters to the bunker’s entrance. Dean opened the heavy door, seeing Cas and Jack sitting in the library. Cass rose to greet them, stopping in his tracks when he saw the Fosters. 

“Wh-”, Cass stammered. Dean held his hand up, saying to the two young adults behind him, “I’ll show you your rooms. You might wanna get some sleep tonight; we’ll catch up in the morning.” Benji and Alice followed, the young Foster in a sleepy daze as Dean led them to his room. When Benji was shown his room, he walked in and flopped on his bed. Alice laughed and Dean chuckled. As they walked down the hallway of the bunker, Dean asked Alice over his shoulder, “So, that guy in the trenchcoat is Castiel, he’s an angel.” Alice snapped her head up and stopped walking for a moment, her eyebrows furrowed. All she provided was a curious hum in response. Dean sighed, shifting his weight from one foot to the other. “Yeah… he might be a little weird but he uh-- he’ll warm up to you.” A small smile krept on Dean’s lips at the ending of his sentence. 

Alice slowly nodded, exhaling faintly to herself as they continued down the passageway to her room. Dean rounded the corner, the sound of their feet on the concrete floor echoing softly. “That kid in there, he’s a nephilim. Now I know that might sound-” Dean began to explain, but Alice cut him off. “Yeah, Benji’s really into all that stuff. Angels and crap.” Dean nodded, surprised that a sixteen year old kid would be interested in Angels and their half human kids. Dean stopped at Alice’s room. She stepped into the small bedroom, but she turned on her heel before she closed the door. “Dean,” She called to the man starting off down the hallway. Dean turned to meet her. “Thanks… Really, thank you.” Dean smiled warmly at her. “No problem, kid.” Alice shut the door and she fell asleep seconds after her head hit the pillow. 

Dean walked back to the library, finding Sam talking to Cass and Jack. Sam looked up as Dean walked into the room. Sam had already talked to Castiel and Jack, explaining everything to him. Cass had been quiet which made Sam uneasy. Jack’s eyes went wide when Sam explained it all. He was excited to have new friends, he always was. But these two new friends were more his age. What Jack really meant was he wanted people that weren’t angels or demons or middle age hunters that were only interested in loud laughter and chugging beer. Dean came to sit in the chair next to Cass. He sighed heavily. “Alice, the older kid, when I took her to her room…” Dean shot Sam a quick glance, then he met his angel’s eyes for a moment, then his eyes went unfocused. “She just looked so exhausted.” Dean paused for a moment and the room went quiet. 

Not an uncomfortable silence, but a quiet chunk of time where everyone in the room had a heavy heart. They all stared at each other for a brief second before Dean began to speak again. “And Benji is just-- I don’t know, he just seems scared.” Sam nodded. Cass spoke up. “I’ll be happy to help with them.” Dean smiled. Jack nodded swiftly. “I can’t wait to hang out and talk and laugh and tell each other our favorite colors and-” Sam laughed at Jack’s innocence. “Alright, calm down Sparky,” Dean chuckled. Jack shut his mouth slowly, looking somewhat disappointed. “Now, I know that having these two here is new and we might want to throw a million questions at them, but they just got here. And from what Alice told Dean and me, they’ve been through a lot.”, Sam said in a calm tone.

They all had a tough time getting to sleep, Dean laying in bed next to Cass staring at the ceiling for hours. Jack had closed his eyes but every time he would start to drift away, excitement would grip him again. Sam was on his side, just blankly gazing into his wall. Alice was sleeping lightly, every little sound waking her through the night. Benji was the only one that had gotten decent sleep. Until the moment he didn’t.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, first published fanfic. I'm open to any suggestions or criticism! Hope you guys enjoy!


	2. Night Terrors And Omletts

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Benji's handling just fine. Dean can't cook. Jack makes a friend.

He was alone. It was silent. No one was there, everyone was gone. And it was dark. Pitch black and inky. 

After what seemed liked hours, Benji heard a faint whisper. He jumped at the sound. The whispers continued to grow until he could tell who the whispers belonged to. It was his mom. Or at least what he always imagined her voice to be when he thought of her. Benji turned on his heel, frantically looking around for her. Her voice slowly faded into the black ink of the empty world around him. Benji tried to call out to her, but the only sound that had escaped his throat was a hoarse whisper, a raspy exclimation. “Mom?”, he called. 

The silence engulfed him again, letting sorrow in with the abence of sound. After another short moment, he heard the stern voice of his father. The boy’s eyes widened. He was always afraid of his Dad, he was never threatened by him, Benji was just terrified he would let him down. “Don’t move that piece there, Ben,” he heard his father say. It wasn’t a faint whisper, this was a clear instructive voice. It was a fmiliar tone that Benji hadn’t heard in so long. Out of the darkness, a chessboard stabally hovered in front of him. Memories of the many late night chess matches flodded his mind. He let a small smile creep onto his lips. That smile was interrupted when the clear voice of Tyson Foster rang out in echos, “If you move your Rook there,” Benji watched as the white Rook on his side of the board rose and glided just across the center of the checkered surface. “Then, I can take your Knight.” The Rook landed on the board, and the Knight was knocked out of its place with a loud crash. Benjiman jumped with the sudden noise and let out a short raspy whimper. He blinked, and it all has vanished into the dark void.

Not long after Benji was alone, he felt warm, thick liquid on his scalp. It soon ran down his forehead and onto his face. Confused, Benjiman went to wipe it, finding the liquid to be dark red blood. He gasped, stumbling backwards. In the blink of an eye, his arms and hands were drenched in blood. Panic surged through his veins as he tried to call out to his family. He even called to Sam and Dean in desperation, but the only sound that left his larynx was soft rasps. He panted, heaving in hurried breaths. He whipped his head to find Eli in front of him. 

He was torn to shreds, hellhound gashes running along his chest. “Eli-” Benji whispered. He looked to him with cold, empty eyes. He moved to him with inhuman speed and came to grab his shirt collar. He was lifted onto his tip toes, Eli’s nose almost touching his. The blood that had covered him vanished. He stared at his brother with dialated pupils in terror. He looked like a broken husk then. Not the Eli that Benji had loved so much. All he said to him was four quiet words, “This is your fault.” Benji shook his head, closing his eyes. Eli dropped him and disappeared into the void. When Benji opened his eyes, his hands and arms were again drenched in thick blood. His chest began to ploom with crimson. His mouth filled with the taste of iron. He dropped his jaw and the metallic flavor poured out like a cursed fountain. Benji let out one last call, “I’m sorry!” Darkness. Pure darkness engulphed him again.

He jolted upright in his bed, drenched in a cold sweat. His chest rose and fell rapidly, his hands and every other inch of his body shaking violently. After a minute or two, he regained his strength enough to walk out of his room and to the kitchen. He found a glass and filled it with water from the sink, attempting to stay quiet. He took a sip, letting the cool water run down his throat. Leaning against the counter, he set down the glass which gave a small clink that echoed through the kitchen. 

The sounds of footsteps on the concrete sounded through the hallway. Benji was lost in his mind, oblivious to the person walking to the kitchen. Jack rounded the corner, stopping when he spotted Benji. Jack didn’t know what he thought of Benjiman yet, but he knew he wanted to be friends with him. He slowly stepped to the table. As Jack walked by Benji, Benji snapped his head up. “Oh! Uh-- Hey, sorry I just-” Benji stumbled over his words trying to apologize. Jack just smiled as he held up his hand. “It’s ok.”, he said simply. Benji relaxed himself a bit at Jack’s warmness. Jack just let the silence enter the room. It wasn’t uncomfortable, it was welcomed by both people in the room. Benji needed the silence.

The nightmare he had left him shaken and scared. Benji cleared his throat and said to Jack, “I-I’m sorry, my name’s Benji.” He finally introduced himself after a few minutes. He was unhappy with the fact that he hadn’t met the other two people that inhabited the bunker. He was just so exhausted that he fell asleep immediately. Jack continued to smile, happy that he was making a friend. “It’s ok. I’m Jack. Nice to meet you.” Benji let himself smile a little. He was happy he was making a friend too. “Who was the other guy?” Jack laughed quietly. “That’s Cass. He’s an angel. He’s really nice.” Benji looked up at Jack. He loved angels. Well, the research of angels. Alice would joke that he was obsessed with it, that it was the only thing supernatural he was interested in. 

“Really?” Benji asked in wonder. “Yep. And I’m a nephilim.” Jack replied with no interest in his voice. Benjamin stared at him. “Awesome!” He said with excitement. Jack smiled again. He just couldn’t seem to stop doing that when he talked to Benji. He thought Benji was nice. 

Benji shifted his weight. “Well, I’m gonna try to go back to sleep.” Jack nodded. “Ok,” was all he said. With that Benji walked back to his room and slept lightly through the rest of the night, as did Jack. 

* * *

Everyone in the bunker was already awake, except for Benji and Alice. They were sitting in the kitchen, Sam leaning against the counter in the same place Benji was the night before. Dean was at the stove, making some rather questionable omelets. Cass sat, smiling warmly, at the table watching Dean cook. Jack was seated at the table in the chair across from Castiel. Alice woke up first, swinging her feet over the side of the bed and standing up. She yawned and stretched her arms out. Alice walked to the small bathroom that was attached to her room, rubbing her face and looking at herself in the mirror. 

She stared into her own icy blue eyes. Those eyes were cold and hardened. She had spent so long taking care of her brother that those eyes that were once a soft baby blue and full of energy were now an icy grey blue color. Alice didn’t bother to change out of the clothes from yesterday. She tugged at the green and black flannel that hung at her side. She pushed the door open and walked to the kitchen, finding the boys waiting there. 

“Mornin'’” Dean grumbled, trying to mask the gazing looks from the other three people in the room with a lighthearted greeting. Alice gave a small nod to him, staring at Castiel and Jack, then at Sam. She turned her head when she heard Benji walking down the hall. He stepped into the kitchen, giving a small smile to Jack as he did. Alice brightened immediately when she saw him.

“Hey, Benji!” She said loudly, ruffling his hair and smiling widely. He giggled quietly, covering it up with an annoyed, “Alice, come on!” Benji fixed his hair rapidly, huffing as he stood by his sister. The Winchesters smiled widely to each other. Smoke started to fill the kitchen, causing Castiel to shoot an alarmed glance at Dean, who did nothing but smile back at him. In confusion, Cass nodded his head to the stove. After Dean continued to do nothing about the now extra-crispy omletts, Cass exclaimed, “Dean, the eggs!” Dean’s eyes widened, finally realizing what the angel was referring to. “Aw, crap!” He jumped to the stove, frantically switching off the knobs and picking up the pan. 

Thick, grey smoke billowed to the ceiling, earning a chuckle from Sam and a scoff from Castiel. Alice nudged Benji with her shoulder. “You gotta cook for these guys sometime, huh?” She smiled at her brother sweetly. He grinned as he stared at the smoke. “Yeah...guess I do.” Dean had been worried over his black brick of omlett, until Benji decided to step forward. The young man out stretched his hand, signalling for the pan. “May I?” He asked simply. Dean shook his head, handing over the burnt food, and saying in the most defeated voice. “Have at it kid.” Sam, along with Castiel, had grown curious of what Benji was going to do with the ruined breakfast and a smokey kitchen. “What’s he doing?” Jack asked as Benji threw the pan in the sink, letting it soak in soapy water before whipping around to the fridge. Benji pulled out the carton of eggs, colby-jack cheese, butter, chives, and a half-empty bag of bacon bits. He attempted to take it all in one trip, but he took one look at the eggs and decided he should make two. 

He went to the counter and set it down then back to the fridge to grab the eggs. After he set it down, he turned to the men in the bunker. “Anyone want egg white omelets?” Sam looked at him, slowly raising his hand and saying, “Yeah, I’ll take one.” Benji nodded, pointing at Alice. “Extra cheese and bacon bits for you, anyone else want clogged arteries?” Dean laughed sticking his arm up into the air. “Yes please!” Benji nodded. He looked questioningly at Castiel and Jack. “Oh, we’ll be fine with whatever you make.” 

Benji grinned and went to work, hands and arms flying everywhere. First he started with the egg whites, cooking them up and plating them, green chives providing small pops of color. Benji handed it to Sam swiftly. The Moose took a bite, the other Bunker Boys eagerly watching. Sam closed his eyes, humming in satisfaction. “Oh. My. God.” Benji, already back at the counter, smiling widely. He cooked up the two angel’s omelette, adding a few extra sprinkles of cheese in theirs. Lastly, he made the Heart Attacks on a plate. He threw in two fist-fulls of cheese and bacon bits into the mix. After everyone had their food, they all sat at the kitchen table. The breakfast was silent, everyone enjoying their food. 

“Kid, that...you’ve gotta make this every morning.” Benji smiled happily at Dean. Alice cleared her throat, leaning forward. “Yep, he’s the chef of the family. God knows Eli and I couldn’t cook.” Benji nodded vigorously. Alice nudged Benji in the arm, chuckling. “You remember that time I caught him cooking?” Benji began to giggle. “Yes. Dear god, yes.” Alice began laughing a little harder. “It-It was your birthday, a-and he wanted to make that shrimp alfredo!” Alice was beginning to laugh so hard she had to take breaks between parts of the story. Dean was smiling at Sam, enjoying the story. Everyone was eager to hear this anecdote.

“I walked in and the pan was on fire in the- in the bathroom. He had crap all over him.” Benji’s eyes got wide, jolting forward. “And when I saw you two you were covered in sauce and smoke was everywhere! And you two looked like guilty   
t-toddlers!” They both cackled for a few seconds later, then they calmed down. Benji sighed, looking sadder now. “Best birthday ever.” He whispered. He stared at his lap, his eyes getting teary. 

Dean shared a look with Castiel. The kid broke his heart. Alice grabbed his shoulder, shaking him softly. “Come on, I found a case.” Alice looked at the other people in the room. “I figured it’d be best if we got to know each other over a case.” Dean and Sam nodded. “Yeah that sounds good.” Benji sniffled, wiping his eyes with his sleeve. “I-I’m gonna go get my stuff together.” His footsteps receding down the hall.


	3. Road Trip Central

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jack's feeling like a part of the family. Cass is a happy dad. Benji doesn't wanna talk about it.

After packing their bags, they all met up in the library. Dean cleared his throat. “So. I can take three other people, not including Sammy.” Cass ended up going with the boys and Jack volunteered to go with the Fosters, then Benji asked, “Do you guys have any extra cars?” Benji wasn’t normally into cars, but Alice never let him drive so he wanted to check some cars out. “Yeah, there’s a door to the garage down the hall and to the left.” Sam pointed down the hall and Benji swiftly walked in that direction. 

Jack shifted his feet back and forth. “So, when’s Benji’s birthday?” He asked, smiling. Jack had thoughts of a huge party in his head. Balloons, streamers, cake, presents, the whole nine yards. “October 7. He never really liked celebrating his birthday, but when Halloween rolls around? He goes nuts. It’s like Christmas morning.” Dean scoffed. 

Benji walked through the rows of cars. Some of them were high-tech and sleek with tons of buttons and controls. Others were “regular” cars. The Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, F-150s, and more of the boring vehicles that Benji passed by. In a small corner of the garage, Benji found a stash of older cars. He walked past an old Ford truck, wooden boards lining its bed. Other older cars were compiled together, many of them in amazing shape. Benji stopped in his tracks when he got to an old SUV. The car was a 1979 Jeep Cherokee, a soft blue color. The seats were tan and leather. It was perfect. Benji ran his hand along the hood, walking to the driver’s side and sliding into the seat, and placing his hands carefully on the steering wheel. 

“Halloween?”, Dean asked. Alice sighed. “Oh yeah. You’d think he’d be sick of monsters.” Just then, a horn blew from outside the Bunker’s door. Everyone jogged over, opening the door and seeing Benji in the Jeep. Dean smiled at him. “Good choice, kid.” Alice ran to the passenger side, sliding in. Jack hopped in the back seat, smiling widely. Alice plugged the location into the GPS on her phone. The drive wasn’t too long, about three hours or so. 

About 90 minutes in, the old Jeep was filled with laughter and smiles. Jack had asked so many questions which led to stories that led to conversations that led to laughter. Dean, Sam, and Cass had already booked a few rooms and were waiting for the three kids to get there. Dean grabbed his and Castiel’s bag, swinging one of them over his shoulder and taking them through the motel door. Castiel was leaning against the old table, flipping through a magazine with his brows furrowed. After throwing the bags onto the bed, Dean looked up at Cass. 

“What?”, Dean asked. Castiel shook his head. Dean smirked as he walked forward. “No really, what?” He chuckled. Cass set down the magazine and pushed off the table, moving to the bed to unpack. “Jack was texting me earlier. He’s having a lot of fun with Benji and Alice.” Castiel was smiling warmly as he pulled some handfuls of books out of the bag. Dean slumped down into the chair, propping up his feet on the table. “I like those kids.” He sighed. Cass nodded, the smile refusing to leave his lips. 

In the Cherokee, Jack was leaned forward in the backseat. Alice and Benji were belting a song, howling like dogs and grinning like madmen. The song ended with a final strum of the electric guitar, causing Alice to clap and laugh loudly and having her own drum solo on the dashboard. Benji glanced to his side and saw Alice’s solo. “Hey, hey, hey! Careful!”, Benji exclaimed. He pushed Alice’s hands off of the dash. Jack couldn’t help but see the parallel of Dean and Benji. Jack giggled to himself then, eager for Dean to ride shotgun with Benji. They were getting along so well that when they finally arrived, Jack began to pout. He could tell road trips with Benji and Alice were gonna be great. 

Benji shut the engine off and stepped out of the car, walking alongside his sister and friend to the open door. Jack put down his bag in the room he would be sharing with Sam and began to unpack. “So, how was the drive?”, Sam asked. “It was awesome!” Jack giggled. Sam stood by the kitchen. “Yeah?” Sam questioned. “Yeah! We sang and told stories and we stopped at this really weird gas station and-- It was just awesome!” Jack’s smile was wide and so were his eyes. Sam chuckled. “That’s great.”

Alice laid on her back and closed her eyes, letting out a long sigh. “That was fun.” She said softly. Benji nodded as he moved to put his clothes in the dresser. Jack was nice and Benji was looking forward to being his friend. He walked to the kitchen and grabbed a glass, filling it with water and taking a sip. The trip reminded him of his brother. They would always have fun on long drives, even if the destination wasn’t pleasant. God he missed Eli. Benji stood, eyes glossed over and unfocussed. Alice sat up, smoothing back her hair. “Looks like a ghoul.” She said gruffly. Benji clenched the glass in his hand, the memories flooding back. He missed them all so much. Then, the memory he promised never to share made its way to his focus. The darkness, the blood, the torture, the crying. He never told Alice about it when she asked if he “crossed the bridge”. He told her two weeks wasn’t long enough, but it was. It felt like an eternity.

“Benji!” Alice yelled. He dropped the glass, hearing it shatter and seeing the water spill on the floor. “I’ve been trying to get your attention for the past five minutes!” Benji shook his head, moving to pick up the glass. “Sorry…” He mumbled. Sam opened the door, sticking his head in. “Everything ok in here?” Alice nodded. “Yeah, I think so.” Sam opened the door all the way. “We’re gonna look over the case if you guys wanna join.” Alice told him they would, then watched the door shut. “Are you ok?” She questioned. Benji nodded, silently. Alice raised an eyebrow walking over to him. “No really. Because you’ve been jumpy and weird these past few days.” Benji walked past her, bumping into her shoulder as he walked through the door. “I’m fine.” He uttered. Alice stood alone in the motel room. She bent down to clean up the glass again. She was worried about her brother. He was all she had left and she wasn’t about to let him go.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow...sorry if it's a little shorter but I'm gonna try and keep the chapters to a 1,000 word minimum! Please leave a comment if you have any suggestions or criticism!


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